15.8.09

Google Maps for mobile featuring Latitudethe official mapping application from GoogleDownload Google Maps to your phone, and never carry a paper map again. And with the brand new Google Latitude feature, see your friends' locations and status messages, and share yours with them.

Google Maps for mobile works on most Symbian S60, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and Java-enabled phones.

Features

My Location (beta)Google Maps for mobile features My Location, a service that allows you to retrieve your current location without the need for GPS. My Location approximates your current location on the map, usually within 1000 meters, by recognizing information broadcast from mobile towers, and in some cases Wi-Fi signals, near you. Google Maps for mobile also uses built-in GPS, or can link to a Bluetooth GPS sensor to more accurately pinpoint your location.

New! Google LatitudeLatitude lets you see your friends' locations and status messages. Share your location and status with select friends. Get started by selecting "Join Latitude" in the menu, or learn more and get the Latitude iGoogle gadget at google.com/latitude. Latitude is availabe on Symbian S60 3rd Edition, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry phones. Unfortunately it is not available for other Java-enabled phones.

Map and satellite viewsGoogle Maps provides both map and satellite views of an area. The user interface feels like Google Maps does on the desktop. You can scroll in a direction to see more of the map, or zoom in and out using shortcut keys.

Driving directionsGoogle Maps makes it easy to get turn-by-turn driving directions. Thanks to the My Location feature, you do not even have to enter your starting point.

Transit directionsCheck bus and subway schedules, determine what transfers you need to make, and plan adventures in more than 50 cities around the world.

Business listingsGoogle's local search engine allows you to search for businesses by name (e.g. "Starbucks"), or by type (e.g. "coffee"). View store hours and ratings, and then dial the business you're interested in with a single click. Thanks to My Location, it's easy to find nearby businesses without even having to enter your current location.

Street ViewView street level imagery of addresses, businesses, and turns in directions in much of the US, Australia, Japan, and parts of Europe.